Double or single on rapala

[Highwater]

Since the new ruling on llandysul water i have been fishing a 9cm and 7cm rapala with a double debarbed hook in the centre of the rapala, in the last month i have succesfully landed 1 cracking sea trout of 8lb and lost approx 7 salmon and 3 sea trout, what i would like to know if anyone has got a preferance to using single hooks or doubles and wheres best placed i.e middle or rear and why, any help would be appreciated, i for one like the new rulings and gives me great pleasure to release these back end fish quickly with no harm, and having them on all be it for a few minuites is a heart stopper, i would love to be able to land just a few more if possible, thanks

[Teifi-Terrorist]

I would go with an oversized single on the back end, highwater. Never had any issues with them. Take a look at this thread for interest and also a link to the suitable hooks:

http://www.sea-trout.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1012

Again, fish it oversized - the size 1 for a 7cm, for example.

TT.

[Highwater]

Brilliant thanks for the reply and advice, will try this tactic after work only have an hour or so, will be out with the fly over the weekend

[grey duster]

hello highwater
TT put me on to to the hooks from amg fishing and although i have not used them yet they look the part.i am not convinced that size 1 is the way to go but if the Guru says that. Who i am to argue.i have fished with 1 semi barbless treble at the back on a rapala for a couple of seasons and i am still catching sewin.Semi barbless is a stupid term.Of the treble ,one hook is barbed and the other 2 are barbless.I have spent far too many seasons using 2 trebles on a rapala and hooking fish through the flank,eyes,gills.i am now converted to one single hook.

[johnrees]

Johnny

I've caught many a good bass using a storm lure where a single hook is placed on top of the lure, whether this method would work on the Teifi with salmon I'm not sure and I haven't got the bottle to try it.

[Glyn]

Hi, all my plugs have got only one treble on the tail I have lost more fish with all hooks fitted they can lever out the good hook hold and as mentioned can get into places the fish really doesn't want them. Mine are rigged double split ring and 2 sizes larger treble.. all my bass plugs exactly the same one tail hook and it has reduced my fish losses greatly. I haven't considered singles yet but might do just to see how they hook up.
cheers
Glyn

[grey duster]

i am still trying to decide where the single hook should be .when i was fishing
"normally" with 2 sets of hooks on a rapala type lure,most fish were hooked on the front set,with the obvious damage from the flying set of hooks at the back,presumably they go for the eye of the lure.hooks at the back look better but is that the way to go?

[Teifi-Terrorist]

I understand that many prefer to fish their lone hook in the middle but I have always opted to put it on the tail section. This is, of course, personal preference. However, my reason for doing so is simply; if a salmon takes the rapala from behind then if you only have the middle hook then it can miss it. If, however, it takes it across the middle then you still have a chance of hooking it on the tail hook. Also, I always try and place my hook on a fly towards the rear as I believe that gives me a better hook-up. Same applies for flying c's, where, again, the hook is towards the tail.

Again, very much personal preference, but I would always go for an oversized single on the tail part for the aforementioned reasons.

TT.

[grey duster]

I think next year i will go back to my roots,spinning for sewin.I always used a small upstream mepps and caught a lot of fish.I think 1 single hook will make no difference.How did i ever get seduced by rapalas.Throwing £10 up a tree,however infrequently, still annoys me to death.

[grey duster]

I always thought when i was using an upstream mepps that i had more chance of hooking and catching sewin.They lie facing upstream,see the lure coming,and as they take the hook it is drawn into the mouth,thus expending less energy.Downstream rapala type lures are seen ,and i would suspect a lot of the time ignored as they are pulled away from the fish.My view,any thoughts?::/